Dispensing hopper for distributing machines



April 24, 1951 T. B. SIMPSON 2,550,303

DISPENSING HOPPER FOR DISTRIBUTING MACHINES Filed Oct.- 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II V 20 A9 4L /7 Q Q April 24, 1951 T. B. SIMPSON 2,550,303

DISPENSING HOPPER FOR DISTRIBUTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 75/? .2 JFM M ArraW/J P a'tentecl Apr. 24, .1951

DISPENSING HOPPER FOR DISTRIBUTING MACHINES Tom B. Simpson, McAllen, Tex.

Application October 1, 1946, Serial No. 700,570

My invention relates to a machine for spreading fertilizer, 'seed, orother small aggregates.

An important object of the invention is to provide simple and reliable adjustablev means for supplying the material to the rotatable spreader disc.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for pivotally mounting the valve element upon the lower end of the hopper so that it may be turned and for locking the same in the selected adjusted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the spreader disc may be rapidly rotated from the traction wheel of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the follow- ,ing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine,

Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the hopper and associated elements,

. and,

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a U- shaped bracket and associated elements, parts omitted.

In the drawings, wherein for the purposes of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of I my invention, the numeral I designates a frame,

including radius rods II, which converge forwardly and are rigidly connected with upper and lower plates I2, forming a hitch. These plates have openings l3. The numeral 4 designates axle housings, rotatably holdin axles l and I6, having traction wheels and I8 rigidly secured thereto. At their inner ends, the-axle housings are rigidly connected with a gear housing 9, including a vertical cap 20.

Mounted above the frame I0 is a vertical truncated conical hopperv 2|, which tapers downwardly and has a closed bottom 22. This hopper is supported by bars 23 and 24, rigidly attached to the top of the hopper. The bars 23 are rigidly secured to the axle housings l4, while the bars 24 are rigidly secured to the radius rods ll.

Slidably mounted upon the lower end of the hopper 2| is a downwardly tapering truncated 3 Claims. (cram-17s) cave and provided with radial ribs 4|.

sleeve valve 25, having a closed bottom 25. At its top, the valve 25 is provided with an outwardly projecting annular flange slideably engaging above a ring 21. This ring has ears 28 rigidly secured thereto, and these ears have rOdS 29 rigidly secured thereto. The rods 29 are slideably mounted within openings formed in stationary brackets 30, rigidly attached to the hopper 2|.

The upper ends of these rods are threaded for receiving nuts 3|, and compressible coil springs 32 are arranged between the nuts and brackets, as shown. It is thus seen that the valve 25 is yieldingly supported in engagement with the lower end of the hopper, but may turn thereon.

A radial handle 33 is rigidly secured to the valve 25 to turn it. A depending U-shaped bracket 34 is provided rigidly attached to the ring 21. This bracket has a bottom strip 35 havin an elongated slot 36. This bottom strip may be longitudinally curved to be concentric with the valve 25. A bolt 31 is rigidly attached to the valve 25 and is radial and extends through the slot 36 and carries a winged nut 31'. By adjusting this nut 31' it will be brought into clamping engagement with the strip 35 and lock the valve in the selected adjusted position. The valve is provided adjacent to its bottom with an opening 38, to be brought into and out of registration with an opening 39 formed in the hopper 2|, adjacent to its bottom.

Arranged beneath the truncated sleeve-valve 25 and concentric therewith is a horizontal rotary spreader disc 40, the upper face of which is con- This spreader disc is rigidly mounted upon a vertical spindle 42. Arranged within the lower portion of the hopper 2| is an upper rotary feed disc 43, the upon face of which is horizontal and flat. This feed disc is concentric with the hopper 2| and spaced a short distance from the side of the hopper, as shown. The feed disc 43 has a sleeve 44 rigidly secured thereto and concentric therewith, and this feed disc has a coupling tongue 45, rigidly secured thereto and arranged within the sleeve 44. The sleeve 44 receives the upper end of the spindle 42, which has a radial groove 46 to receive the tongue 45, so that the disc 43 rotates with the spindle. Rigidly secured to the sleeve 44 are radial agitators 41, operating within the hopper 2| near its bottom and near the outlet openings.

The spindle 42 extends into the cap 20 of the gear housing, and passes through an end thrust bearing 41. The spindle 42 is provided with a small bevel gear 48, rigidly secured thereto, en-

gaging a large bevel ear 49, rigidly mounted upon the axle l 6.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The machine may be attached to a tractor or ithe like so that the frame ID will be held horizontal and travel with the tractor. The rotation of the traction wheel I8 is transmitted to the vertical spindle at an increased speed. The rotating feed disc will cause the material to be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force so that such material This material at the bot by the spreader disc due to the action of centrifugal force.

It is to be understoodthat the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and

that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A machine for spreading finely divided material, comprising a wheeled frame, accnically tapered truncated hopper mounted upon the wheeled frame and provided near its bottom end with a side discharge opening, a conically tapered truncated valve closed at the bottom and slidably engaging over the bottom end of the hopper and having a side opening for registry with the side opening of the hopper, an annular radial flange secured to the top end of the valve, an annular ring disposed beneath the radial flange for supporting the valve, ears secured to the ring, rods connected with the ears and extending above the same, bracket means connecting the rods and hopper for supporting the rods, a member mounted upon the ring, and an adjustable device secured to the valve and engaging the member to lock the valve against turning.

2. A machine for spreadin finely divided material, comprising a wheeled frame, a conically tapered truncated hopper mounted upon the wheeled frame and provided near its bottom end with a side discharge opening, a conically tapered D truncated valve closed at the bottomand slidably engaging over the bottom end of the hopper and having a side opening for registry with the side opening of the hopper, an annular radial flange secured to the top end of the valve, an annular ring disposed beneath the flange for supporting the valve, mechanical means connecting the ring with the side of the hopper for supporting the ring and holding it against turning, a depending U-shaped bracket secured to the ring and spaced from the valve and having a longitudinal slot, and a substantially radial bolt carried by the valve and engaging in the slot and receiving a nut to clamp the valve against turning.

3. A machine for spreading finely divided material, comprising a wheeled frame, a concically tapered truncated hopper mounted upon the wheeled frame and provided near its bottom end with a side discharge opening, a conically tapered truncated valve closed at the bottom and slidably engaging over the bottom end of the hopper and having a side openin for registry with the side opening of the hopper, an annular radial flange secured to the top end of the valve, an annular ring disposed beneath the radial flange for supporting the valve, apertured ears secured to the ring, generally vertical rods engaging in the apertures of theears and extending above the same, L-shaped brackets secured to the hopper and having openings 'to receive the rods, nuts carried by the top ends of the rods, coil springs surrounding the rods between the' L-shaped brackets and nuts to resiliently support the valve, a member mounted upon the ring, and an adjustable device secured to the valve and engaging the member to lock the valve against turning.

TOM B. SIMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STA'IES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,011,071 Mehlberger Dec. 5, 1911 1,107,992 Parrish Aug. 18, 1914 1,211,596 Kindt Jan. 9, 1917 1,263,105 Plummer Apr. 16, 1918 1,619,795 Roby Mar. 1, 1927 1,798,069 Day et al [Man 2 1931 1,938,669 Smith Dec. 12, 1933 r FOREIGN PATENTS Number 7 Country Date 321,857 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1929 

